http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |(MCT) Websites that collect snippets of outlandish and funny conversations heard around town are nothing new. Overheard in New York, the widely acknowledged original, has been going since July 2003. Washington, D.C., followed soon after with its "Overheard in … " site, and Los Angeles and Chicago joined the conversations this year. Increasingly, though, smaller "big" cities are getting in on the talk of the town. This summer, Minneapolis got its "Overheard in … " website. A comparison of recent chatter from major and minor metro areas often reveals hilarious differences among their people and the places they live  just be aware that the talk can often be R-rated if you decide to check out the sites.

Overheard in New YorkGirl 1: "And then there was the stabbing."Guy: "Whaaa?"Girl: "She stabbed a cabdriver."Girl 2: "Well, he started it!"

Overheard in D.C.Waiting to deplane after a flight from Chicago to Washington, D.C., at Ronald Reagan National Airport:Young Midwestern Man: "So, is this airport in D.C., or is it in Virginia?"Female College Student: "I'm not exactly sure … because D.C. doesn't really exist."Young Midwestern Man: "Yeah, that's true."

Overheard in L.A.Girl on a cell phone: "I hate parking my car. I'm like the type of person that just walks away from it and then can't find it again."

Overheard in ChicagoDude at Shedd Aquarium: "Great. $23 to see roaches. I could go to a restaurant for that."

Overheard in San FranciscoWoman: "Can I get you something from the corner store? I'm running in."Female friend (flustered): "A rich man."Woman: " … a winning lottery ticket?"Female friend: "No, just a rich old man with one foot in the grave and another on a banana peel."

Overheard in PittsburghCollege female student with a cheek piercing sits down near a drunk woman:Drunk Woman: "Hey, did that hurt?"Pierced Girl: "Uh, yeah, but not that bad."Drunk Woman: "Hmm. I like that; it's cute. How much did it cost you to get that done?"Pierced Girl: "Um, like $30 or $40."Drunk Woman: "Really? That's cheap! Where'd you go?"Pierced Girl: "Oh, not around here; in Philadelphia."Drunk Woman: "Ahhhhhh, so you went out of state to get it done. Yeah, it's way cheaper if you go out of state."

Overheard in MinneapolisYuppie 1: "So you studied philosophy? What can you do with that?"Yuppie 2: "It's not philosophy. It's the art and economics of metaphilosophical science."

Overheard in Bakersfield, Calif.Male shopper in overalls, looking at a chain-link dog pen: "We could use this for the grandkids."
That item came from the site's most recent update, on June 14, 2005  which probably tells you all you need to know about snooping for interesting conversation in Bakersfield.

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Randy A. Salas is a columnist for the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Do you have a favorite Web site or a question about how to find something on the Internet? Send a note by clicking here.